Startup Stories

Jackson Hole-based artist Abby Paffrath didn’t set out to create cool trucker hats. They came about as result of frustration. Abby specializes in Batik, a classical Indonesian method of hand-printing textiles. Each piece requires a…

When I hopped on the phone with Jax Koudelle to talk about Stoked Roasters and Coffeehouse—the waterfront roasting facility and tasting room that she recently opened in Hood River, OR—we first talked about a trip…

Anneka Door guides climbers up the Tetons in the summer and shepherds skiers back down snow laden slopes in the winter at Bridger Bowl near Bozeman, Montana. She’s a Midwest transplant who came to the…

Bompa Blocks began by accident, says founder Ashley James, of the company she started with her grandfather that makes wood yoga blocks. As Ashley’s passion for yoga grew, she began selecting a mat, clothes and props…

Consider what skiing feels like following a big temperature swing. Yesterday was a sunny 50 degrees. But today the temperatures plummeted, hardening slush and creating a rough mine field. Typically, on a day like this,…

Bill Amos is a passionate climber. But that wasn’t the only reason he decided to launch NW Alpine – an outdoor clothing company committed to manufacturing all of its products in the U.S. Holding a degree…

John Campbell swears he’s not a “retro-grouch.” He wouldn’t give up his modern ski boots or climbing shoes. But when it comes to backpacks, he wonders about the bells, whistles and all the extra pockets….